Depositing a stack of flexible articles

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for depositing a stack of flexible articles, includes stack deposit means ( 12 ) for contacting the stack and placing it with respect to a reference point. The stack deposit means has at least one surface means ( 30 ) for contacting the top or bottom of the stack. Means ( 15 ) is provided to withdraw the at least one surface means in a direction substantially parallel to the top or bottom of the stack, respectively. The at least one surface means is arranged so that any surface ( 31 ) thereof in contact with the top or bottom of the stack, respectively, moves at a relative speed along the top or bottom of the stack sufficiently less than the speed of withdrawal of the surface means to substantially prevent rolling of the articles of the stack during withdrawal.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the handling of flexible articles instacks, and is of particular utility in the packaging of flexiblearticles for subsequent individual withdrawal. Such articles include,for example, elastomeric gloves.

BACKGROUND ART

A known arrangement for packaging stacks of elastomeric gloves is toplace the stack within a box, through a temporarily open end of the box,between a pair of vertically spaced plates that grip the stack betweenthem. One plate may be a U-shaped tray. The plates compress the stackbetween them, and the stack may be inserted in the open box, or viceversa.

Once insertion is completed, the top and bottom plates are withdrawn inturn, parallel to the top or bottom of the stack respectively, while alateral stationary plate acts as a stop to maintain the stack in thebox. The top and bottom plates may be separated slightly verticallybefore withdrawal.

For gloves made in high friction materials, which offer user benefits,this approach can lead to rolling of the surfaces exposed to the platesor trays. This results in an unsightly appearance when the pack isopened, typically by tearing away of a finger exaction window, and alsomakes removal of a single glove difficult.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example of conventional glovepackaging apparatus, depicting the effect on the top gloves 5 a of thestack 6′ of withdrawal of the top plate 14′. The bottom plate isindicated at 16′. The top gloves, restrained by side plate 42′, arepartially rolled back on themselves by plate 14′. The result, on openingthe box 20′ for use by pressing out tab 24′ with score lines 23′, is anunsightly appearance and difficulty in removing the top few glovesthrough the opening left by tab 24′.

It is an object of the invention to at least in part alleviate thisproblem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an apparatus for depositing a stack of flexiblearticles, which includes stack deposit means for contacting the stackand placing it with respect to a reference point, which means includesat least one surface means for contacting the top or bottom of thestack, and means to withdraw the at least one surface means in adirection substantially parallel to the top or bottom of the stack,respectively. The at least one surface means is arranged so that anysurface thereof in contact with the top or bottom of the stack,respectively, is driven by frictional contact with the stack so thatsaid surface moves oppositely to said direction of withdrawal of thesurface means at a relative speed along the top or bottom of the stacksufficiently less than the speed of withdrawal of the surface means tosubstantially prevent rolling of the articles of the stack duringwithdrawal. The apparatus further has lateral stop means for restrainingsaid stack during said withdrawal of the surface means.

The aforementioned relative speed along the top or bottom of the stackis preferably zero.

The at least one surface means may include belt means defining thesurface in contact with the top or bottom of the stack. In oneembodiment, the belt means is a continuous belt.

In another embodiment, the belt means is a belt extending between twomounting positions, arranged to roll away from the top or bottom of thestack as the at least one surface means is withdrawn. Roller means maybe included to facilitate the rolling away of the belt.

Advantageously, the arrangement is such that, during operation, there isno slip between the stack and the belt, whereby said relative speedalong the top or bottom of the stack is substantially zero.

Typically, the stack deposit means includes further surface means forcontacting the bottom or top of the stack, respectively. Thecharacterising features of the invention may alternatively oradditionally be incorporated in this further surface means.

Preferably, the stack deposit means is arranged for placing the stackinto a box from which the articles of the stack may be withdrawnindividually by subsequent users.

The lateral stop means can also be used to reposition the stack betweenthe surfaces.

The invention further provides a method for depositing a stack offlexible articles, including contacting said stack within at least onesurface means; withdrawing said at least one surface means in adirection substantially parallel to the top or bottom of the stack,respectively, said at least one surface means being arranged so that anysurface thereof in contact with the top or bottom of the stack,respectively, is driven by frictional contact with the stack so thatsaid surface moves oppositely to said direction of withdrawal of thesurface means at a relative speed along the top or bottom of the stacksufficiently less than the speed of said withdrawal of the surface meansto substantially prevent rolling of the articles of said stack duringsaid withdrawal; and restraining said stack during said withdrawal ofthe surface means.

In an advantageous application of the invention, the flexible articlesare highly flexible thin articles such as gloves, especially elastomericgloves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of conventional glovepackaging apparatus, depicting withdrawal of the top plate through anopen end of a box in which the glove stack has been earlier placed;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic view of glove packaging apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the invention, shown immediately afterinsertion of a stack of elastomeric gloves through an open end of a box;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the box;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the apparatus duringwithdrawal of the top plate; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial views similar to FIGS. 2 and 4 of glovepackaging apparatus according to an alternative embodiment of theinvention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The glove packaging apparatus 10 illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 isconventional to the extent that it includes stack deposit means 12 inthe form of a pair of top and bottom plates 14, 16 adapted to squeeze astack 6 of thin elastomeric gloves 5 between them. The plates 14, 16 aredriven forwardly in synchronism by suitable fluid powered actuators orlinear motors (eg. 15 in FIG. 4), to insert the stack through the openend 21 of a pre-positioned box 20 and thereby place the stack in thebox. The box is of a type having, in its top panel 22, a central tab 24defined by score lines 23 (FIG. 3). This tab is able to be readilypressed out by a subsequent user to provide an opening through whichgloves may be individually extracted with the fingers.

In the drawings, the thickness of the gloves 5 is exaggerated forpurposes of illustration. The stack may typically contain 100 or sogloves of 0.15 mm thick material In a stack of total depth 75 mm.

To substantially prevent rolling of the top few gloves in the stackduring withdrawal of top plate 14, the glove contact surface of plate 14is not the plate itself but the lower run 31 of a continuous belt 30mounted about rollers 32, 33 at the front and rear of plate 14 so thatthe belt 30 extends about and embraces the plate. Rollers 32, 33 areidlers and the belt 30 is driven, on withdrawal of plate 14, byfrictional contact with the top glove of the stack. A suitable materialfor belt 30 is a flexible synthetic conveyor belting.

Once insertion of a stack is completed, an automatic control sequenceprogram in a controller (not shown) reverses the actuator 15 for topplate 14 into withdrawal mode. The plate 14 is now withdrawn through boxopening 21, in a direction (FIG. 4, arrow 40) parallel to the top ofstack 6. A stationary side plate 42 acts as a stop to restrain the stack6 during withdrawal of plate 14, and to thereby maintain the stack inposition in box 20. This lateral stop can also be used to reposition thestack between the surfaces. The frictional contact between drive beltrun 31 and the top glove of the stack is effective to drive belt 30, ieglove contact surface 31, to move in the direction opposite to direction40. in this way, surface 31 moves at a speed, relative to the stack,along the top of the stack, sufficiently less than the speed ofwithdrawal of plate 14 and belt 30 to substantially prevent rolling ofthe top gloves of the stack. Ideally, this relative speed is zero, iethere is no slip between the top glove and the belt surface, but anexact such counterbalance of the retraction of top plate 14 may notstrictly be necessary to substantially prevent glove rolling.

Optionally, prior to withdrawal of plate 14, it may be lifted slightlyaway from plate 16, but to an extent severely constricted by thepresence of the box. In another alternative, a motor 34 may be providedto positively drive belt 30. The packaging process is completed bydriven withdrawal of bottom plate 16, and then by folding over box flaps25 to close the end of the box. Since some rolling of the bottom glovesis not as great a problem as rolling of the top gloves, bottom plate 16does not have a driveable contact belt, but it is of course an option toinclude a belt similar to belt 30.

In a further possible variation, plates 14, 16 may be withdrawnsimultaneously.

FIGS. 5 and 6 depict an alternative embodiment in which like parts areindicated by like reference numerals preceded by a 1. Here, the bottomplate 116 is the actively withdrawn plate, and there is provided a belt130 which extends about and embraces plate 116. However, in this case,belt 130 is not continuous but is fixed at one end to side plate 142 andat the other to remote tensioning means 150 below and fixed to the plateor to a stationary part of the machine. An idler roller 132 (or otherguide element) guides the belt at the inner edge of plate 116. As plate116 is withdrawn (FIG. 6), belt 130 remains relatively stationary in adirection along the bottom of the glove stack 6 but rolls away from thestack bottom about roller 132 as the remote end of the belt travels withthe plate.

1. Apparatus for depositing a stack of flexible articles, including: stack deposit means for contacting said stack and placing it with respect to a reference point, said stack deposit means arranged for placing said stack into a box, the box having an open end, which means includes at least one surface means for contacting the top or bottom of the stack; and means to withdraw said at least one surface means in a direction substantially parallel to the top or bottom of the stack, respectively, said at least one surface means being arranged so that any surface thereof in contact with the top or bottom of the stack, respectively, is driven by frictional contact with the stack so that said surface moves oppositely to said direction of withdrawal of the surface means at a relative speed along the top or bottom of the stack sufficiently less than the speed of said withdrawal of the surface means to substantially prevent rolling of the articles of said stack during said withdrawal; and lateral stop means positioned to at least partially block the oven end of the box for restraining said stack during said withdrawal of the surface means.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said relative speed along the top or bottom of the stack is substantially zero.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at least one surface means includes belt means defining said surface in contact with the top or bottom of the stack.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said belt means is a continuous belt.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one surface means includes belt means defining said surface in contact with the top or bottom of the stack.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said belt means is a belt extending between two mounting positions, arranged to roll away from said top or bottom of the stack as the at least one surface means is withdrawn.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, further including roller means to facilitate said rolling away of the belt.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said at least one surface means further includes plate or frame structure means, about which said belt extends.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said belt means is a continuous belt.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said at least one surface means further includes plate or frame structure means, about which said belt extends.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said flexible articles comprise gloves.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement is such that, during operation, there is no slip between the stack and said surface, whereby said relative speed along the top or bottom of the stack is substantially zero.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said stack deposit means includes further surface means for contacting the bottom or top of the stack, respectively.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the articles of the stack may be withdrawn individually by subsequent users from the box.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said flexible articles comprise gloves.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lateral stop means is adapted to reposition the stack relative to the surface means.
 17. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said flexible articles comprise gloves.
 18. A method for depositing a stack of flexible articles, including: placing said stack into a box, the box having an open end; contacting said stack within at least one surface means; withdrawing said at least one surface means in a direction substantially parallel to the top or bottom of the stack, respectively, said at least one surface means being arranged so that any surface thereof in contact with the top or bottom of the stack, respectively, is driven by frictional contact with the stack so that said surface moves oppositely to said direction of withdrawal of the surface means at a relative speed along the top or bottom of the stack sufficiently less than the speed of said withdrawal of the surface means to substantially prevent rolling of the articles of said stack during said withdrawal; and restraining said stack with lateral stop means positioned to at least partially block the open end of the box during said withdrawal of the surface means.
 19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said relative speed along the top or bottom of the stack is substantially zero.
 20. A method according to claim 18, wherein there is no slip between the stack and said surface, whereby said relative speed along the top or bottom of the stack is substantially zero.
 21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the articles of the stack may be withdrawn individually by subsequent users from the box.
 22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said flexible articles comprise gloves.
 23. A method according to claim 18, wherein the articles of the stack may be withdrawn individually by subsequent users from the box.
 24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said flexible articles comprise gloves.
 25. A method according to claim 18, wherein said flexible articles comprise gloves. 